Big League Stew

Jackie Robinson gets Google Doodle on birthday

Thursday marks the birthday of three Hall of Fame major leaguers: Nolan Ryan, Ernie Banks and Jackie Robinson. And yet, only Robinson gets the Google Doodle treatment. By heading to Google's homepage, you'll see what you see above — its corporate logo dressed up with a Dodgers font and Robinson swinging a bat. (A minor quibble: The number 42 should be red, as it is on the actual Brooklyn/Los Angeles uniform.)

Click on the doodle and you'll get search results for Robinson, the first black major leaguer in the modern era, who integrated the big leagues in 1947. Thursday would have been his 94th birthday. Robinson died in in 1972 at age 53, but his impact on the game — and U.S. history — is permanent and timeless.